Janice Darlene (Didenti) Blackburn

Obituary Janice Darlene (DiDenti) Blackburn Born May 19, 1947 at Tacoma General Hospital, Janice died October 7, 2015 at home with her loving husband of forty-four years by her side. Janice attended St. Frances Cabrini Elementary School, Aquinas High School, and attended college. In 1969 she accompanied her best friend on a double date and danced the night away with her future husband, Lee Blackburn. She married in 1971. Jan spent the early weekends of her marriage traveling, dancing, and boating with Lee on the Puget Sound, catching rays and sharing a cold beer. Jan was an accounting specialist at Weyerhaeuser from 1966 through 1998. Gifted in foreign language, Janice spent her childhood naturally conversing with her Italian relatives and learning Spanish with ease. She loved working in her garden, sharing recipes and crafting techniques with her nieces, and shopping at Nordies with her sister. She adored the children in her family and doted on her great-niece and great-nephews. Janice is survived by her husband, Lee Blackburn; her sister, Diane Christiansen (Larry); her nieces, Nicole (Tim) and Elise Christiansen; and many cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, and many aunts and uncles. Dedicated to work, Jan stopped only when renal failure filled her schedule with dialysis and specialist visits. In 2001 she was the fortunate recipient of a kidney transplant and had nearly fifteen years with her graft before she succumbed to the relentless progression of diabetes, osteopenia, spontaneous fractures, hearing loss and heart disease. Her family thanks the donor's family for thinking of others in their time of loss. Jan's loved ones extend gratitude to the transplant team at UW, and all involved physicians and care providers in Tacoma and Seattle for the priceless gift of fourteen more years with our amazing ray of sunshine. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Bellarmine Preparatory School (www.bellarmineprep.org), Donate Life Northwest (www.donatelifenw.org), or Bright Focus Foundation (www.brightfocus.org). Please leave online condolences at www.gaffneycares.com. Arrangements by Gaffney Funeral Home, 253-572-6003.